Up close, the beauty of nature can take one's breath away.

Poll scopes out the environment, fascinated by how lush everything looks from this valley. Thin layers of white clouds decorating the blue sky peek through the mountains. Mostly pine trees stand around the area where they chose to set up their camping tents and spend the night. They decided that tomorrow, before dawn, they'll go higher in the mountain to watch the first sunrise of the year.

The male twin flutters his eyes as the relaxing sounds of running water and chirping birds lull him into sleepiness. Even the contrasting temperatures of the sun and the air make it hard for him to stay alert.

Fighting the urge to doze off, Poll approaches Cloud and Eujae to ask if they need any help putting up the tent.

"It's alright, Apollo. This is the last one, and we're almost done," Eujae answers, glancing over the white polyester. "Are you bored? Why don't you join those guys for now, and we'll eat after this?"

Poll turns his head to the adjacent river where Tem, Risa and Nick are winding down. The two women sit on a large rock while their feet swing in the water. On the other hand, his male classmate keeps roving in the shallow area, his head down, and a jar of various pebbles in his right hand.

With no other choice, Poll starts to walk back in the opposite direction. After taking a couple of steps, he stops just to cast another look at Eujae over his shoulder. A frown appears on his face as the man's present behavior starts to bother him.

Since this morning, Eujae has been acting strange. Poll doesn't know how to put it exactly, but it feels like the man has become—for lack of a better description—less intimate with him.

It was weird enough that Eujae didn't settle beside the male twin in the car this morning even when he had the chance. As Poll got into the vehicle, he expected him to follow immediately so they could sit close to each other. Instead, he told Nick to hop on first before stepping into it himself.

Poll brushed it off at first, thinking that Eujae might have preferred the window seat. It made sense, considering how he always chose that spot during their beach trip.

However, even after they arrived at the valley, Eujae kept creating the impression that he was putting some distance between him and Poll. When Risa talked to him about their shed arrangement and asked him with whom he wanted to share a camping tent, Eujae didn't hesitate to tell their friend that he would be fine with Cloud.

It's not like Poll wants to sit beside him in the car or be in the same tent with him, but after Eujae made a big talk about pursuing him, the male twin thinks that the most the man can do is take advantage of every little chance he can have to get closer to him. But that's too different from what he's doing right now.

During Christmas, Eujae even said that he missed Poll and couldn't wait to see him again. Yet his actions, now that they're finally together, are telling otherwise.

Eujae's smiles are still warm, his voice is still gentle when he's talking to Poll, but his physical affections for the person that he's supposed to be courting have noticeably dwindled.

Convincing himself that he's not upset because Eujae hasn't patted his head even once today, Poll saunters to the shade and sits next to Lia under a big molave tree. He watches his sister and their friends in the river before his eyes dart back to a certain brunette man. A pout forms on his lips as he sees Eujae having fun talking with Cloud while they set up the tent together.

"Did you guys fight again?" A sweet voice asks, distracting Poll from his thoughts.

Without turning to his female friend, Poll shakes his head. Usually, Lia's question is something that would puzzle him, but after learning from Eujae that the young woman had figured out her cousin's feelings a long time ago, it is no longer a surprise for Poll to know that his friend can tell that something's going on between him and Eujae at the moment.

"Not really," Poll mumbles, hugging his knees.

"Yeah, I don't think so either," Lia replies, handing a covered plastic cup and a spoon to her friend. "Eujae spent a couple of hours yesterday making these for you after all."

Curious, Poll doesn't think twice about accepting them from the young woman. Upon taking the cup's lid off, he catches a whiff of sugary caramel. Instinctively, he swallows as the flan, topped with three small strawberries, gets exposed before his eyes.

His incredulous gaze drifts to Lia. Trying to veil his eagerness, he asks in a restrained voice, "But we're about to have our lunch. Is it really okay for me to eat this now?"

A gentle laugh escapes from the young woman. "Of course. I told you my cousin made them just especially for you, so if there's someone who has the most right to eat them, it's you."

More words are not required, further encouragement is not necessary for the male Torres twin to dig into his sweet treat. Scooping a spoonful, he excitedly takes the dessert in. He forgets about his earlier concern for a moment as the creamy flavor of the pudding, layered with the treacliness of caramel sauce, melts in his mouth.

Cheery as a child, Poll goes in for the second scoop. He picks up one of the strawberries and munches it while his mouth is still full of flan.

Immersed in the dessert, he fails to notice the person who draws near them. He perks up, his heart jumping excitedly, when he feels someone pat the top of his head.

But his face falls once he looks up and learns that it's his twin sister's boyfriend standing next to him and staring at the plastic cup in his hand.

Poll throws a discreet glance behind Cloud to see if Eujae is with him. To his dismay, he finds the man walking to the river.

"Having dessert already, little brother-in-law?" Cloud asks, mussing Poll's hair. "But that looks good. Do you mind sharing it with me?"

With an unhappy pout, the male twin swats his friend's hand off his head. "You're messing with my hair. Get a different one for yourself. This is mine."

Cloud shrugs before going to the tree's trunk and leaning on it.

Poll resumes eating and frowns, distinguishing a different taste from the dessert. The flavor has turned bland on his tongue. Even the strawberry has gotten a little bit sour.

He's halfway through the cup when he hears another voice join them.

"Hey, Apollo Helios, what's that you're having?"

The same name, the same pronunciation, but in some way, it sounds different from the clear, rich drawl that Poll often hears from someone else.

Groaning, he gives his approaching friend a dirty look. "Don't call me by my real name, Nick."

"Aw, why are you being touchy now? Did Eujae pick a fight with you again?" Nick pauses and knits his brows. He gives Poll a long stare before he continues, "Oh wait, that's not right. Let me rephrase it. Did you pick a fight with Eujae again?"

Ignoring his friend's gibe, Poll returns his attention to the cup in his hand. The scowl on his face deepens as he senses another presence sitting beside him. Why do people keep interrupting him when he's trying to eat his flan?

He turns to glower at the newcomer, but as soon as his eyes come into contact with the crystal blue ones, his body tenses.

"Still messy, aren't we, Apollo?" Eujae whispers, placing a hand on the side of Poll's face, and rubs the corner of his mouth.

Poll thinks the other man may be talking about someone eating like a child, but he stops paying attention to it as he busies himself with studying Eujae's features.

Fondness fills the eyes behind the ice-blue contact lenses. Scattered lights shine on Eujae's head, creating a mirage of golden glitters in his hair.

Seeing the beads of sweat forming below the man's temple, Poll's hand itches to wipe them away.

His gaze drops to Eujae's lips. The same pair of lips that often forms into teasing smirks or kind smiles. The same pair of lips that always manages to send his mind floating whenever they brush against his skin.

The male twin knows that they feel soft as cotton candy, and looking at them now, he can't help but be curious if they would be as sweet as chocolate cake or crème caramel too. He wonders if Eujae's real kisses could melt like marshmallows in his mouth.

"So does it taste good?"

Poll blinks at the sound of the man's curious voice. As he becomes conscious of what he was envisioning seconds ago, he flushes deep red in mortification.

He certainly didn't just think about kissing Eujae. Mouth to mouth. No, that didn't happen.

To hide his abashment, he looks down and goes for a cheeky answer. "It tastes like a flan."

Instead of being miffed, Eujae chuckles and ruffles the smaller man's hair affectionately, making the latter blush more.

Poll stuffs his mouth with another large portion of the flan, a smile inadvertently spreading across his face. And even when he acknowledges that his mood has improved, he chooses to pin it on the dessert that has now tasted ten times sweeter.

A giggle from his side reminds Poll that his other friends are also with them. He raises his head to see that Nick has taken a place beside Cloud, and both men have their inquiring eyes directed at him.

"So how come Eujae gets to call you Apollo but I can't?" Nick asks while playing with the blue and green pebbles in his hand. "I'm your friend, Mr. Apollo Helios Torres. Been one for years, if I may add. And Eujae is your what?" He turns to the aforementioned man before looking back at the male twin with a mock grimace. "You'd been fighting with him for years, and now that you've reconciled, you're suddenly favoring him over me? Why? I demand an explanation for this injustice."

"Shut up. You're annoying," Poll grumbles, refusing to humor his friend's foolery.

Just when Poll thinks Nick has taken the hint and given up on teasing him, Cloud seems to have decided that it's his turn to carry on with the job.

He leans his back away from the tree's trunk and gives Nick a sidelong glance. "Must you ask those questions when the answers are very obvious, Nick? You're not the one who keeps spoiling him by bringing him his favorite sweets. So why are you still expecting him to favor you? See, even though I'm his brother-in-law, he wouldn't even let me pat his head. Yet he didn't seem to have any problem when Eujae was casually touching his face and ruffling his hair."

Because he doesn't want to give his friends the chance to tease him any further, Poll tries to switch the main subject. "Stop calling me brother-in-law. You and Tem are not married yet. And before it's gonna happen, you have to ask for my permission first. You're not taking away my twin sister from our family just like that."

"That's so cute," Lia comments, giggling, "You sound like an older brother to Tem, Poll."

"That's because I'm the older brother, L.A.," Poll replies. He focuses on the flan and scrapes out the last bit of it.

As soon as Poll finishes the food, Eujae takes the empty plastic cup from his hand and wordlessly gives him a black vacuum flask. The male twin accepts it, mumbling a thank you.

After taking a big gulp from the water container, he holds the flask to analyze its design and learns that a silver calligraphy of the name 'Eujae Nigel' is embossed on it. Realizing that he's just drunk from Eujae's personalized water bottle, silly ideas start to develop in his mind again.

He's read about indirect kisses before, and he wonders if that's something that he and Eujae have just shared.

Shut up, you stupid brain! Stop thinking about Eujae and kisses!

Fortunately, before his thoughts can get any more ridiculous, Tem and Risa arrive at their spot and ask if they should start to eat, diverting Poll's attention.

After their lunch, the group talks about their plans for the night and each person's tasks. Lia suggests that Eujae and Poll should collect some wood, which they could use for a bonfire later.

The two men set off immediately, thinking it would be less troublesome for them to finish the job while the sun is still out. Dried leaves and branches rustle under their feet as they reach the area where more trees grow.

Poll gazes upward and squints when the flares peeking through the canopy of trees hit his face. Since he's not paying heed ahead of him, he doesn't realize that Eujae has advanced near and stood in front of him. He gasps, surprised, as a hand brushes against the side of his face.

The male twin searches for the taller man's eyes, and he finds himself enthralled by the tenderness in them. Everything seems to fade away as a calming quietness envelops the place. The twittering of different birds dominates their surroundings, and falling waters provide gentle music.

Poll waits for Eujae's next move, a thrill running through his nerves.

"There's a leaf in your hair," Eujae whispers, holding a yellowish leaf in front of Poll's face. He lightly pinches the smaller man's cheek and adds, "Let's finish this quickly so we can go back as soon as possible."

Poll's heart sinks when Eujae starts to walk away without doing anything else. Dumbfounded, he stares blankly at the man's back while questions start to materialize in his head. Questions that he's almost afraid to ask.

They're far away from their friends now. That could have been the perfect moment to sneak a forehead or cheek kiss, but why didn't he? Why does it feel like Eujae is acting distant in the present?

He said he likes Poll. He said he's serious about it. He promised he's going to do his best until the other man agrees to go out with him. Then why does he keep dodging these chances instead of grabbing them?

Did it finally hit him that having feelings for Poll is a mistake? Or has it all been a lie from the beginning?

But more importantly, why does it affect him this much? Does he even have the right to be this upset?

Eujae must have noticed that Poll is not following, so he turns around and calls his name. His tone sounds adoring, but the male twin can no longer tell if it's real.

As Poll stays silent and unmoving, a worried frown graces Eujae's face. He retraces his steps, stopping in front of the smaller man.

"Is there any problem, Apollo?" Eujae asks in a soft voice and holds Poll's wrists gently.

Poll parts his lips but purses them quickly when he feels them quivering. His gaze drops, his shoulders slump as he tries not to let his emotion get the best of him. He doesn't say anything until he determines that nothing's going to be solved if he doesn't try to communicate his feelings to the other man.

"I'm not sure. You tell me," Poll mumbles at last, hating how unsteady his voice sounds. He wonders if he looks pathetic to Eujae right now. "Is there a problem? Did you realize that you were wrong about liking me after all?"

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

AN: I tried to update sooner, but well, life... This week has been rough for me, tbh. Send me some virtual hug, lol. And the heat is not helping at all. My brain can't function properly in this kind of weather. 😩

So this is another cliffhanger, but I promise it's gonna be the last, hehe. Please make sure to stay tuned for the next chapter, because believe me, you don't wanna miss that one. 😉